Tag: foodblogger

Anyone else hating this cold and miserable weather? All’s I want to do is eat utter crap and watch Friends over and over again in my dressing gown. Although this is amazing in terms of my relaxation, it’t not exactly the healthiest diet so I have a few healthy, naughty and filling meals which give my diet a little kick up in the backside it needs. My go to recipe is my chilli stew, its full of flavour and so filling at the same time. Win win!

I got this amazing recipe from Women’s Health Magazine, over the years of making it I’ve adapted it for my own tastes so I’ll link the original recipe above for you guys if you fancy a gander. It’s a vegetarian dish but I promise it can satisfy the fussiest of carnivores.

It takes roughly around 30 mins to cook and around 10 mins to prepare but the ingredients are pretty basic so it doesn’t involve that much prep which is just the ticket after long day at work and a freezing cold commute home.

Basically, you throw all the ingredients in a pan together and stir well. Cover the pan with a plate or whatever you have in the kitchen to use and leave on a low heat for 30 mins. Don’t forget to stir it occasionally, to stop the rice from sticking to the pan. When the rice is cooked, its ready.

You can, like the original recipe suggests, add a dollop of guacamole on top. However, I’m far too hungry and tired at the end of the day and just fancy digging into the stew!

Let me know if any of you guys have a go at this recipe, I’d love to find out some of your fave healthy winter recipes.

Hello Everyone!!! First of all, let me say I am so so sorry for making you guys wait for another post for so bloody long! I haven’t been the greatest blogger of late and for that I truly apologise! I think I might have already touched upon my reasons for not blogging in my last post but if it turns out I haven’t and I’m lying like a right porker then I’ll explain again now before I go into the exciting (and titular) news!

First of all, as you guys know I’ve been studying for a Masters degree in TV and Radio Scriptwriting and my life kinda got taken over by finishing my last assignment of the year. I wasn’t feeling particularly amazing about my writing after getting negative comments off my supervisor for the assignment throughout the entire second semester. That plus the fact I started working as a teacher full time made me so stressed that I probably had a zillion breakdowns a week. I swear I would come home from work and just burst into tears at the prospect of another evening doing work I’d probably fail anyway. Nevertheless, I churned it out night after night (meaning any other form of writing, such as this blog was abandoned) and managed to pass with an amazing grade and some pretty fantastic comments off the very same supervisor who made me feel like shit (I swear one of his comments were “wow, I’m very impressed” and I nearly exploded with happiness!) and then on top of that I had my stand up comedy gigs. Now since my last stand up comedy course in April and the brilliant 7 min set I did, I have done another 2 gigs. One, which went amazingly well and the other, which just makes me want to crawl in a ball.

The one that I’d rather not talk about was for a national Stand Up Comedy Competition and I had to travel all the way to Leicester for it. Needless to say, my lack of experience in the stand up circuit didn’t do me any favours on that night and I was just a bit like a little fish with loads of sharks. All experience though!

After that gig, my confidence was a bit gone which is why it took me about two months to even attempt another. I did the Sunday 5 minute slot at Hot Water Comedy Club in Liverpool and the audiences responded really well to my material. Since the competition I had written an entirely new set and had worked on honing my stage presence. All in all, it was a gig that really helped reenergise my love for stand up and got me back on track for performing so it just shows you that you can’t let a bad thing knock you down you just have to keep trying and carrying on! An attitude I will carry on with from now on!

Anyways! So that’s basically why I’ve been incognito for the past couple of months! I know it’s a long ramble but I just thought I’d explain to you guys in case you were wondering. And now for the exciting news….I’M OFF TRAVELLING!!! Yay!!! ﻿

I’m so excited for this summer adventure me and my boyfriend have planned (completely last minute might I add).

After years and years of saying we’d go interrailing together we’re finally fucking doing it! We just thought after the hectic and hard year we’ve had (house decorating, career stuff, family issues, moving) that we deserved a treat and what better way to treat ourselves than with an amazing three weeks in Europe. We’re gonna be staying with Jakes (the boyfriends) family in a villa in Faro, Portugal for the first few days then the plan is to head to Lisbon then travel through Spain, France, Italy, Slovenia, Austria, Czech Republic and end in Germany! We would’ve loved to have done longer but we have two weddings we need to be back for!

Welcome to another ‘Exploring Liverpool’ post dedicated to my fabulous home city!

This week I’m focusing on food (my favourite thing!) and talking about two relatively new gorgeous food places that have taken the city by storm. I had the privilege of trying these new eateries out last weekend and I was very very impressed!

Mowgli

Mowgliis an Indian street food specialist which has the whole city talking about it. It’s that popular with us scousers that the owner has given us a second one, right in the heart of the old town!

The Eatery was founded and created by Nisha Katona and makes authentic Indian street food that is both satisfying and incredibly tasty. When I went with my boyfriend I was bit intrigued as to how the food would satisfy my own tastebuds having been used to very British curry houses. However, this place is just incredible. For starters, we decided to just try something completely out there. It was kinda like Bombay mix but wet and mushed yet it tasted sooo good! WARNING: if you guys want your typical onion bhaji’s this place will change your perception of Indian food forever.

Then for mains we split a tiffin (proper Indian dinner ware) of Bombay Fries which were completely different from burning I had ever ate before (they shit all over sweet potato fries any day) and I had a tiffin of Paneer curry style dish all to myself. Oh My God!! The paneer melted in my mouth and gave me all the feels! And to go with it, we got puri breads which are like traditional savoury pancakes you sort of use like a spoon. Naan will never do it justice! I swear I was in food heaven.

And I must say it was probably the best Indian I’ve had in a long time.

Artisane

Okay! Now the other amazing food place I tried, haha I swear It was like a weeekend of culinary adventures. However, it was French on Saturday.

Artisaneis an established French patisserie in another part of Liverpool and always had the most amazing reviews so you can imagine how bloody excited I was when I heard we were getting one in the heart of the city centre! All the pastries and sweet treats are made by a French chef so you know you’re getting the real deal and it’s gonna be more authentic than a croissant from Tesco. I’ll admit something really naughty here, I’ve actually eaten here three time this week that’s how much I enjoyed it! I went alone on Saturday, took the boyfriend Sunday and then treated my Nanny to a pastry on Wednesday! So bad but so worth it!

The first time I went I got a bear paw and a brownie. The bear paw was something I’d normally not try but since I was having a weekend of being adventurous I just went for it!

It tasted beautiful, it tasted like how I thought France feels. Exciting, crisp and decadent. The ultimate French pastry!

The second time I went I decided on something more savoury and got myself a Vegetable Pie. It was the nicest pie I’ve ever had! I know I say that about literally everything but this actually was. The crust to filling ratio was spot on and the pastry itself was just do crumbly and moist. Aaah!! I want another!

And finally, the last time I went I tried a spicy veggie pastry which again was just amazing and then I finally tried my fave childhood pastry, Chocolate Eclair! Now this eclair was a little different as the cream inside was chocolate cream! It was a chocolate lovers dream come true in choux pastry!

One thing I haven’t actually mentioned which is silly of me is how absolutely lovely the staff were in both places. I think this is important as nice and friendly staff really make your food experience all that more enjoyable!

And there you go! Two new food places tried and tested and given my Chelsea seal of approval! One of my absolute favourite things to do is find new places to eat so I was so happy to write and ‘research’ this blog post for this week!

I hope you guys have an amazing weekend whether you try new food places or not!

It’s the result of Christmas and indulgences and getting the kitchen done which meant being without a cooker for a week. That meant a week of takeaways which although felt good at the time by the end of the week I was craving a good home cooked, nutritious meal so much.

This week me and the boyfriend got our acts together and decided we would make sure we ate as healthily as possible to make amends for our sins. So I decided I’d share with you guys what I eat on a healthy day!

Breakfast

Two weetabix with raspberries

When I was a kid I hated weetabix I absolutely hated weetabix I thought they had absolutely no taste or flavour! However now I’m a 22 year old adult I love the stuff! They’re so good as they help get fibre into your diet which important for me as I’m a veggie! I added raspberries to have one of my five a day and inject some colour.

Lunch

Toasted Bagel with Mashed Avocado and oven baked Eggs

I saw a recipe on Instagram quite similar to this and knew I had to try it. I gently toasted the bagel before topping it with the mashed avocado then breaking an egg and putting it on top before putting in the oven for 15 minutes. I added chilli flakes, pepper and sea salt for flavour and it was a total treat for the stomach!

Dinner

Potato and Leek Soup

My boyfriend bought a hand blender a week ago and has been dying to try it! This soup is perfect for cold winters night dinner and also tastes yummy. Extra points to the boyfriend!

Snack

I got a little peckish watching the Natinal Television Awards but instead of reaching for the chocolate I was well behaved and finished off my raspberries.

And that’s what I ate in a day! Today was a healthy day so please be aware they’re are days when I’m literally scoffing pizza and chocolate like a pig! Moderation guys!

Like this:

It’s January and along with everyone else I’ve been trying my utmost best to try and stay as healthy as possible. Of course, this has proven quite difficult with me hardly having any kitchen to use for most of the month!

This bar is just gorgeous! For me it’s a bit like a really healthy version of a snickers bar. It’s the perfect replacement for them naughty chocolate digestives that we all reach for come break time at work!

Trek Cocoa Chaos Wholefood Energy Bar

Now, as much as I used to love a good Trek bar they do get a bit samey after a while. Also, they’re quite a hefty amount so you do feel either sick or really full after eating one. These bars are perfect for people who are into clean eating or vegan style diets and do a lot of exercise. This bar is packed with protein so ideal!

Cliff Bar in Chocolate Chip

This is as far from chocolate chip as it gets! If you’re looking for an energy boost and aren’t really bothered about fixing your chocolate urges then this is perfect. If you don’t need the energy though and do want a healthy chocolate treat stick with the Meridian.

Bounce Protein Energy Bites

You have no idea how happy I was when Bounce brought out these energy bites! I love Bounce Balls especially the cacao orange ones as the taste reminds me a little bit Terry’s Chocolate Orange. The bites are basically smaller versions but taste just as nice!

And there you go! The four healthy food snacks that have been getting me through January and keeping my chocolate cravings at bay!

Like this:

Now I’m not one to normally jump on bandwagons (well, asides from Twilight; hey remember that?!)

But recently I’ve really enjoyed watching ‘What I Eat In A Day’ YouTube videos, I think it’s because I’m such a nosey cow and enjoy having a little sneak peek into people’s everyday lives! Anyway, I’ve decided to do a ‘What I Eat In A Day’ blog post to give you guys an idea of what I chow down on a typical week day when I’m not eating out with friends or pigging out on takeaway pizza with the boyfriend.

Breakfast: Avocado on Toast

Okay, so I know this is a proper stereotypical blogger breakfast but it’s my all time fave! It’s the perfect blend of healthy and filling which is ideal when I have a busy day ahead of me and need something to keep me going until lunch.

Lunch: Butternut Squash, Feta and Chilli Frittata.

I got this recipe from Clean Eating Alice’s book The Body Bible, I love this lunch it’s brilliant for people on the go who need something nutritious and not time consuming. I made this frittata on Monday and sliced it up into pieces to do me for the rest of the week. To eat, I tend to just pop a slice out of the fridge and eat up in the oven. I tend to serve it with loads of tomato ketchup, which is the best sauce in the world!

Afternoon Snack: Bounce Energy Ball

Now I love these healthy snack balls. They’re so tasty and full of all kinds of good things. They are perfect for anyone who needs a little sugar and coco high without the naughtiness of an average bar of chocolate

Dinner: Mexican Style Spicy Sweet Potato and Chicken Bowl (Veggie version)
Okay, so I will admit we didn’t follow the recipe exactly (being veggie is hard ok?) it was very delicious though and something I would definitely recommend to others. I also got this recipe from Clean Eating Alice’s book, it’s a relatively easy recipe to rustle together and is perfect if you want something comforting with a little kick. We had some Uncle Ben’s Golden Vegetable Rice with ours as we had some we had to use up.

And that ladies and gents is what I ate in a day, I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post and if you want to see anymore like this just let me know!

I think by now you guys can get how much I love food. It’s a damn fine thing! So when I discovered Liverpool were hosting one of those glorious things called a food and drink festival this week you could bet your sweet behind that I was dragging my boyfriend to it with me!

It was an amazing festival and I was pleasantly surprised as it fairly huge! They had celebrity demonstrations on both days, on the day we went there was Gino D’Campo who was hilarious!

There was also loads of local eateries and restaurants with stalls and there was even a cocktail competition so there was plenty to keep us entertained throughout the course of the day.